Simple Coincidence
by Konsui's Little Brother
Summary: It wasn't done on purpose, Luna knows. It can't be done on purpose. But knowing that doesn't make going into Herbology Class any easier. It doesn't make her like Professor Sprout any more. In fact, coincidence or not, it just makes her miss her mother.


A/N: This was written for _PaintMeIntrigued_'s challenge on the HPFC forum. A challenge that was aptly called _The Teacher Challenge_. The first paragraph of this story is purely from that challenge, not from my own imagination. As this is my first time writing for Luna, I can only hope that I've done both her character and the challenge justice. I hope that you all enjoy this story as much as I enjoyed writing it!

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><p>Her mother used to plant flowers. Her mother used to act like she did, actually. Her mother used to love what she herself has always hated. Why couldn't she see the despair in her eyes?<p>

Now, don't get her wrong. Luna knew that Professor Sprout wasn't doing it on purpose. It wasn't something that could be _done_ on purpose. It was just...coincidence. Pure and utter coincidence. And it wasn't something that she should begrudge the kindly Professor.

But she did.

Every time she looked at Professor Sprout, she saw her mother. It was hard not to. Not because the two looked alike. No, they looked very different, actually. Sprout had none of the whimsical features that her mother, Serenity, had.

Sprout was short and round. She had brown hair that always looked ruffled by the wind and eyes of the darkest brown. There was always dirt on her clothes and the scent of the great outdoors on her skin.

Serenity was tall and lanky. Her long, shimmering blond hair reached her hips and her eyes were a blue brighter and more pure than the sky itself. With pale, moon-kissed skin and the heady scent of potions always floating around her, she moved with the grace of a dancer.

Pamona Sprout was the Earth.

Serenity Lovegood the Sky.

But they were so similar still that it hurt. It made Luna's heart ache and her breath hitch and, sometimes, it even made an anger she was unaccustomed too bubble up in her chest. No one should be able to look so different from her mother yet act so similar.

For they did, really.

Luna couldn't recall a time, back when her mother was still alive, that her house was not alive with plants. Magical and Muggle alike. But sunflowers were Serenity's favorites; she used to claim it was because they were warmer then any other plant, magic ones included. And she would care for them like they were her children. So, in a way, Luna had many brothers and sisters to play with, even if she never had anyone to speak to.

When her mother died, those plants withered away. Luna tried to save them at first. But , soon, all she could see when she looked at them was the horrified look on Serenity's face as her potion went awry.

They all ended up in the compost heap. Every last one of them. Even the sunflowers.

And Serenity and Professor Sprout were both so kind. So caring and open and, _do you need to talk to someone, dear, you look a mite upset,_ accepting that the first time Luna spoke to Professor Sprout, one on one, she spent the entire night crying.

_"A word, please, Miss Lovegood." Sprout waved the blonde girl towards her, catching her just before she slipped from the Green House._

_Luna paused. For a moment she thought about pretending not to hear the kindly professor, but that would be beyond rude and her mother had always hated rudeness. Letting out a small sigh, she turned and tilted her head at Sprout. "Yes, Professor Sprout?"_

_"I just wanted to talk with you about your work in here. I know that it's still your first year but, honestly, you really aren't doing very good." Sprout's words were forward but they weren't mean. They didn't come off the same way they would of had it been Snape or even Flitwick who said it. They had thus almost gentle lull to them._

_It made Luna frown._

_"Now, now, don't be upset over it." Sprout, misinterpreting the look as Luna being upset over the information about her grades, waved a hand through the air. "It's just that you looked like a girl with promise at the start of the year. There isn't anything wrong, is there?"_

_Yes, Luna, wanted to tell her, there are quite a few things wrong. The most important of them all was that she just didn't want to be there, talking to Sprout. Even just being around the Herbology Professor made Luna feel disheartened and sad; as though a piece of her heart was being ripped out every time they spoke._

_"No, Professor, nothing's wrong. I guess it just isn't my best class after all."_

It bothered Luna to no end how much her mother and Sprout were alike. Beyond that though...Beyond the fact that when Sprout spoke Luna heard her mother and it brought back pain that was still too fresh in her mind. Even now, in her third year, that single thought could send her mood spiraling.

Beyond that fact was the simple notion that Professor Sprout still hadn't realized it. She still didn't understand the fact that it wasn't just Herbology Luna didn't like. It wasn't just being around the plants that made her dreamy gaze disappear as though she had just come back to reality.

It was her.

And the truely sad part of it is that it is something that cannot, and will not, ever change.


End file.
